Thomas Dybdahl Biography & News

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About Thomas Dybdahl

Thomas Dybdahl signs with US label

'From Norway, with love' is how a feature on Thomas Dybdahl ran online back in May. And yes, Dybdahl has finally established himself away from his homeland. He's built fanbases in countries like Sweden, France, Denmark, the UK … and the United States.

Dybdahl finally has a US label to call home, inking a deal with Capitol Records earlier this year. Fans were exposed to his music on the soundtrack of Showtime's dramedy series "House of Lies," which featured Dybdahl's song "This Love is Here to Stay." The producers used the track as the theme in a pivotal scene in an episode of the show's newest season.

Dybdahl's latest album, "What's Left Is Forever," went to No. 1 in Norway last year and finally got its U.S. release on May 6. It's special to Dybdahl for a number of reasons, including the fact that he feels this was more than "another jigsaw record." He told the LA Times newspaper that instead of assembling the songs piece by piece, he collaborated with a name producer in Larry Klein, along with first-call session players.

Dybdahl took LA by storm, working from the city's storied Village Recorder, then holding a month-long residency at Hotel Cafe . Still, Dybdahl's goal is not necessarily to be a superstar. He told the Times he gets enough of that in Norway, where he recently returned to play an outdoor concert backed by a symphony orchestra.

Thomas Dybdahl is Norway's shining star (Updated January 16, 2013)

Often spotted in plaid, flannel and a mash-up of various winter-weather clothing, Thomas Dybdahl looks every bit the lumberjack of Norway instead of one of the country's most popular singer/songwriters. But appearances can be deceiving, especially in the case of Dybdahl, whose international following has grown over the last decade and drawn comparisons to the late Jeff Buckley.

Dybdahl, a true superstar in his homeland, laid the roots of his music career with the release of back-to-back EPs in 2000 and 2001. Though he was slow to gain traction, his debut album changed his momentum in 2002. Dubbed "…That Great October Sound", he immediately garnered international attention for the work, especially once it had its European release in 2004.

Bolstered by the single "From Grace," Dybdahl's first album went gold. The follow-up, "Stray Dogs," was equally successful, and 2004's "One Day You'll Dance for Me" was his first project targeted for release in the United States and Canada. It features the famous Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess in a brief interlude speaking about the quality of life.

Dybdahl's other works include a side project, "The National Bank," also released in 2004. Two years later came "Science," and in the spring of 2007 he launched his first tour of the United States. By 2010, he would release a self-titled studio effort, as well as Waiting for That One Clear Moment" on Universal. 2011 finally saw the release of "Songs," a career-spanning overview of his biggest hits.

Dybdahl ended 2012 performing "…That Great October Sound" in three cities in Norway.